'Tis the Season!

That's right! It IS the season! Summer that is! And that means holidays! Why not spoil yourself? Go outside and get a tan, go swimming or just sleep in! Nothing better than lying in bed with the sun coming though the blinds.

What about some spring cleaning too? Start the year off fresh with a clean home and mind! After all, cleanliness is next to godliness isn't it? And this could be the perfect opportunity to get rid of that old junk you never use! Go though your stuff and if you find stuff that is still good but you don't use. Fix it, clean it and put it on eBay, that way you have more room to put new things and more money to buy them with! If you cant sell it on eBay, then take it to the Salvos. A lot of people out there could really use stuff that you might consider junk. Who knows? Maybe your old teddy could be a child in needs favorite Christmas present this year.

Here's a few Summer activity ideas!

★ Play tourist. Go sightseeing in your own city! There are always tours and activities for tourists going on, so why not join in and learn more about the place you call home? Try searching Google or click here for stuff to do in Victoria.
Or if you have some cash left over from Christmas shopping, pick up a cheap bus ticket interstate and go on a road trip with your friends! Catching the bus or train is a great way to get places cheap during the festive season. Try the Firefly or Greyhound websites for more information. But if you don't do long bus rides, look for cheap flights at TigerAirways.com or WebJet.com! Get out of your comfort zone and go make some memories!

★ Learn a water sport. Get fit and get wet (and get a tan)! Try TotalTravel.com for programmes throughout the Summer. There is a bunch of surf schools and other activities to do in Victoria, even though the weather might be chilly most of the time, I assure you. It gets warm when you get out of the city. Just don't forget to slip, slop slap!

★ Beach resorts and camping. Now I hate camping. I went last weekend. I hated it. But for those of you who don't mind roughing it, try gathering a group of friends together for a night in the wild! For the best locations, tips and even to find groups of people to go with, check out Camping.com! For the girls and boys out there who cant stand the idea of bugs and lack of power points have a browse on TotalTravel.com(accommodation) and see what is on offer. My top pick is the Cumberland Resort in Lorne. For breath taking views, close to the beach and has a gym, pool, tennis court (and not to mention the beauty spa) it has fully furnished apartments for hire for groups of up to 6! And its not too hard on the pocket either.

★ Picnics. Now who could resist the opportunity to put on a pretty dress and spend the afternoon with the one you love or your closest friends.
First you'll need to gather the friends and set a location, try the botanical gardens in your city or maybe the beach or local park. Then set a theme! You don't have to, but it sure is fun to dress up, don't you agree? Then pick what you want on the menu. Make sure that you check if the guests have any allergies before picking, as you don't want to have one person running off to Maccas when they cant eat your mothers famous Seafood Salad. Then set the time and date, remembering you have to allow to set up for the picnic. If you are going to have a large number of guests, you should be sure to contact the place you will be going and let them know, in some cases you might have to fill out a form or book the location (you won't want to show up and there be a wedding going on either). Once this is all set, send out the invites! Go nuts, you could simply send a text message about it, or go all the way and get some made. Crucial things to take on a picnic are the blanket, food, sunscreen, camera, mobile phone(though try to keep off it) and bottles of water. You could also take outdoor games like hoolah hoops, Frisbees, balls and a stereo! Just don't forget the batteries and CD's.

Botanic Gardens in Australia:

• Adelaide
• Brisbane
• Canberra
• Melbourne
• Perth
• Sydney

Above all, remember to have fun!

★ Summer memories scrap book. Get a disposable camera, you can find them for around $5 now days, and take it with you on all your Summer adventures! Take dumb photos of your feet or get a water proof one and go to the beach! You should also take souvenirs of everywhere you go. A napkin from that awesome cafe you found or a shell from the beach or flowers from parks. Grab some glitter pens and write down what you did, or poems or songs about Summer. Let your imagination run wild and create something you can look back on during those cold winder months. Visit ScrapbookingMegaStore.com for supplies and more info.

There are a few ideas there on what you could do. But I'd like to know what you do during Summer for fun! Drop me a comment or an email and share your ideas with the world!

Happy holidays!

xoxo

Stockings

History: It may surprise you to know that tights were originally worn by men! Up until the 20th century is was unacceptable for women to show their legs and it only became fashionable for woman to wear them in the 1930's. In 1935 the Nylon was born, discovered by Julian Hill along with Wallice Carothers and his team and in 1939 it was shown at the World Trade Fair in New York, and the 'NY' was the starting point for the name. (NY-lon). The first Nylon's were put on the shelves May 15, 1940 and in the first day alone 780.000 pairs were sold. They were fitted to the leg (as nylon didn't stretch) and were knitted flat, and being joined together at the back is why they had the thin black seem that is so popular today. In the 1950's the yarn industry discovered they could mix Nylon and yarn to give it some stretch, and then in 1959, Lycra© was born and made nylons even more comfortable and durable! In the 60's and with the invention of the mini-skirt nylons became tights and they were now stitched in a tube, virtually removing the nylons with seems from Fashion. Now days you can find all sorts of stockings/tights/nylons, from ankle stockings to thigh-highs to full length! And why stop there! You have naughty ones, pretty ones and plain ones, stockings for all occasions!

How to wear thigh highs (without looking slutty):
Over the years, with pin-up girls showing bottoms provocatively and porn stars bearing all, the thigh-high has somewhat earned a name as the 'naughtiest' of the stockings and aren't seen very often outside the bedroom. But I have found that with a little tact, these comfy stockings can be worn everyday! No more putting nails through them when going to the loo, no ma'am. These babies stay up and last longer. Not to mention make you feel like you have super-sexy secret.

First things first. You'll want to invest in a good pair of thigh-highs or stay-ups. Cheap ones can use bad rubber and chafe or give you rashes and you don't want to rip them or have one fall down either. A good pair will set you back $15 minimum and stores like Myer and David Jones have a huge selection. Remember to feel the fabric. It should feel slightly stiffer than regular stockings. Then there is the type of thigh high. 'Stay-up' with built in rubber garters are the favorite of today and can be found everywhere or you can buy ones that require garter belts. Slightly more fiddly and they could show through work skirts. Then you need to choose the transparency! I like mine opaque with a hint of sheer, but that all depends on your preference. They also come in different colors! You have standard blacks, tans, porcelain, to all sorts of crazy colors! Pick one and keep that your signature look.

When putting them on, be gentle. You don't want to put your foot though them. Pull them up to roughly 5cm below your, ahem, and make sure they're even. Check back and front for bulges around the top and pull the garter over it. As garters are quite wide, you wont have a problem with this. One final check and put on the rest of your outfit! The rest of the world will be none the wiser to your secret.

How to wear regular stockings properly:
I cant stress this enough! If you're going to wear regular full stockings, pull them up. The top should sit above your belly button! Failing this you may end up with a rather mysterious muffin top under your favorite silk dress or skirt. Please ladies, pull them up.

Fish-nets:
Beware the fish-net! These stockings can be super elegant and sexy! But you must take care! Ripped fish-nets are not sexy. They are trashy. And we're not trashy ladies are we? Save yourself the embarrassment and always throw out ripped ones.

Where to wear them: Don't try and wear wide hole fish-nets to your office job as an accountant unless you want to seduce your next client or be grabbed on the ass. Go for the smaller holed ones. They leave more to the imagination for one and they wont have the whole office staring at your legs. Larger holes are sexy, but you have to know how to wear them. They are super feminine and delicate, so team them with dark Chanel style outfits like tweed skirts and bulky jackets. A nice pair of ankle boots goes well with the wide holes too. Not for corporate office wear!!!

Other stockings of note:
You can get stocking of all shapes and sizes. You have the ones that cover only your toes, to wear with peep-toe heels and pants, to the ones that cover up to your ankle, to the knee high (mostly for older corporate ladies), right up to your waist! Don't be afraid to try them all and find what looks best on you! Just remember that you get what you pay for. A $3 pair of stockings from safe-way will always be a $3 pair of stockings. But don't let that stop you!

Enjoy!

xoxo

Huge Scarfs!

Though winter might be over, in Melbourne its still freezing! And today I have armed myself with my massive black scarf and a 3/4 waist coat! My niche would have to be big knitted clothing, such as cardigans, sweaters and scarfs. Today, I will talk about the scarfs. They are wonderful aren't they? They can make an outfit, AND keep you warm! Scarfs seem to make all the difference when picking an outfit for a chilly day. So whats the buzz about having huge ones? Well, personally I think they make you look more petite and they're way more fun! You can accessorise them with flower pins or broaches and they give more volume to your hair.

How to tie a huge scarf: First, fold the scarf in half and lay it around the back of your neck. Next loosely pull the ends of the scarf through the looped side and neaten it up. Voila! Easy, huh?

Wearing huge scarfs can be done with almost any outfit too, from the classic ski-bunny look to the beach-goer! Anyone can get away with it.

Best combinations include, tight jeans, shirts, glasses/sunglasses, 3/5 jackets or cardies.

For some awesome scarfs online you could hit up ebay, or if you're a little more cashed up try net-a-porter.com or eluxury.com. Or you could even knit one yourself!

Breif History of the scarf:

The history of the scarf dates back at least as far as ancient Rome. A linen kerchief known as a 'sudarium' (Latin term for “sweat cloth”) was used by the Romans to wipe their necks and faces. The ancient Romans developed the scarf into a diverse men's fashion accessory, whether knotted to a belt or worn around the neck. Of course this style was quickly adopted by women also, and the scarf has since become synonymous with women’s fashion.

Experts say that the scarf was historically made of cloth rather than wool and a mark of rank for the warriors of the Chinese Emperor Cheng (Shih Huang Ti). Around the 17th Century however scarves were worn on a wider scale by Croatian Mercenaries – again these were not wool scarves, but ordinary cotton if you were a soldier and the officers wore silk.

It was the French who were so enamoured with these unusual and colourful scarves, that they began to wear them too, calling them cravats, from the Croatian word kravata. It became popular to demonstrate political inclination by the colour of a man’s scarf.

In the 19th Century the scarf once again became a fashion accessory for men and the cravat became a staple of every man’s wardrobe. From the cravat we have progressed to today’s wooley scarves, available in a multitude of colours and designs to compliment the outfits of men, women and children around the world. Scarves made of wool are by far the warmest and most comfortable choice as wool is a natural fibre and allows the skin to breathe at the same time as keeping the cold out.

Recently the scarf has experienced something of a revival, once again becoming a must-have item by women around the world. Head scarves and wraps grow ever popular with society’s celebrities and convey elegance and sophistication. Scarves have the advantage of flexibility in how they’re worn – around the neck, tied at the wrist, or around the strap of a handbag for example.

The future of scarves looks secure and these fashion items now represent a huge opportunity for exciting use of colours and patterns. Knitting and weaving techniques are developing all the time to cope with the increasing demands of the world’s fashion designers.


Taken from content-corral.com

The "Muffin Top" Epidemic!

In the last 5 years, jeans and other pants and skirts have been worn lower and lower. They call them 'hipsters' and they seem like they're here to stay. Something that seems to come hand in hand with hipsters is a muffin top. You know, when you have a bit of stomach or your sides 'muffin' over the top of tight jeans? Over time, you may have noticed your little 'muffin' has stuck. Even when the jeans aren't on!

What it is: Poke your hip, if there is even a little bit of squish (and there will be) that will be fat. Not calling you fat or anything, but it will be there. The fat on our hips is there to keep our ovaries warm and is part of what gives us our 'womanly' shape. Your lifestyle will determine how much or how little you have. When you wear pants, underpants or skirts that are too tight for a long time, this fat will mould and a 'dent' in your hip will form. Leaving you with a more permanent 'muffin top'. Which will leave you looking a little silly in clingy dresses and make your bum look flat in other clothes.

How to avoid it: When picking pants, find out a little more about the fabric. Try reading Its Vintage Darling for more information on different types of fabrics available (and other tips too!). If its denim, chances are you should buy it a little tighter as denim does 'give' and loosen up. But there are some fabrics that will only slightly loosen up, and you should make sure to buy these the right size. Same goes for underpants. There is no reason your size 12 bottom needs to be in size 10 undies. Not only are there other health risks (depending on fabric) with wearing underpants too small, like bladder infections or even, yes, thrush. They are also causes of the permanent muffin. So you should try to wear fitted cotton undies as much as possible and keep the other, Lycra/plastic/leather bottoms for special occasions.
You could also opt for wearing the high rise style of jeans that is out now, so when you sit down, you bottom wont be hanging out (others will thank you) and you wont have that extra pressure cutting into your hips!
If you already have one of these muffins, don't stress. They are fixable. Try wearing waist high skirts, with stockings pulled up to the waist. (Its actually how they're meant to be worn) Wearing things up under your ribs will shift the pressure and give you a nice curve and let your bottom and hips relax and get back to their natural shape. This wont happen over night, but give it time. You'll be back to normal within 2 or 3 weeks. And its worth it.

You as a woman have the right to dress however you like, but do make sure your clothes fit right. There are no rules saying that you cant wear that hot pink Elmo t shirt with those black leather chaps (though I'm sure many would disagree, it is your right), as long as your clothes fit well, they'll look great on you!

Stay amazing girls!

xoxo

How to wear jeans. Short girl style.

Throughout fashion, there have always been height requirements. Upon downloading the entry form to Australia's Next Top Model, I found that they had a minimum height requirement of 170cm. This made me angry, how can they put a height requirement on this? Then I looked back at all the 'taking-up' of jeans and the re hemming of dresses and all the other clothes that never quite fit right.

This entry I'll be focusing on the worst offender of them all. Jeans. We all love jeans, they can be super feminine or grungy and androgynous. You can throw them on when you feel like crap or dress them up and wear them out! So lets begin! I will explain the best way to wear jeans for different occasions and different body shapes.


Normal to Leggy Short Girls: This is the category I feel like I fall into. I have unusually long legs for someone my height. Here is what I do for my situation. Go for skinny leg jeans, but don't take them up, I personally found that turning them up creates a start and a finish to the jean. Rather than taking them up, which I feel makes the jeans look like they just - stop. I usually wear dark blue and team them with a pair of plain black heels.

★Dressy; For a dressy look with jeans, wear a light top, keep it floaty and feminine, wear strappy, loud heels that have the same colours as the top or you can stick with the plain black ones.

★Casual; A tank or t-shirt. My preference is white, but you can go either way. Match that up with a pair of either black or white canvas shoes. I love white Volley's from Target.

Not So Leggy Short Girls: If you're not careful with this look, you could end up looking more 'weighted' than short, as short legs give the illusion of being larger, wear boot cut and try to stretch your legs out by wearing heels or light coloured jeans. Always cuff the bottom as it creates the illusion that there is more leg.

★Dressy; Try to avoid sleeves as they could make you look too top heavy. Keep the sleeves short or stick to none at all! Spaghetti strap tops look great and you would do best sticking with dark coloured heels.

★Casual; Avoid tank tops as they tend to look quite masculine on shorter girls. Wear spaghetti straps or 3/4 tops, anything in the middle has the potential to make you look like you have muscles. Which if you're like me, you want to avoid.

Curvy Short Girls: This is a bit harder, as a lot of jeans are made for girls with about as many curves as a broom stick. Stick to boot cut and go with similar rules as the short legged girls. If you're curvy and have longer legs, you could bypass wearing heels so much and go with the more colourful sneakers!

★Dressy; Floaty V neck, most tops like this have a tie you can put around the waist. If not, use a waist belt to accentuate your curves! But try not to wear it right under your bust line, its called a waist belt for a reason. A proper waist belt should be worn around your belly button or just above.

★Casual; Loud t-shirts with funky prints, teamed with a cool pair of high-tops. You can get away with skinny legs in this outfit. But let them hang a bit loose. We don't want you looking like you painted them on!

Stocky Short Girls: With this body shape you've got to play it just right. If you carry weight to the front of you, you'll want to go for boot cut jeans, if you carry it more to the sides or back, go for fitted straight leg jeans. Always pick dark denim jeans, but not black. They can make you look desperate to hide the fact. For tops, you'll want to go for floaty 3/4 shirts or similar clothing. Because tight things have a tendency to make you look like you have more weight than you do. Try to wear accessories around your neck, like cool beaded necklaces with lots of bright and large beads, and steer clear of waist belts if your stomach is larger than your hips. A lot of girls tend to play on their breast size when they have this shape. Don't. You should draw more attention to your eyes and smile! Show the girls a little, but don't have them out for the world to see. We know you're a woman.

★Dressy; Darker tops tend to hide any stray chubb better than other tops, but don't let that push you into the background! Glam up with chandelier earrings or pearl necklaces! Stick to the same jeans rule as above and stay away from light colours.

★Casual; T-shirts with funky prints and high-tops. Bam!

Skinny Short Girls: When you're skinny (ultra skinny) it can be hard to find things that don't hang off you. Go for light colored jeans, and turn them up! As for general tops, floral. Dark colors can tent to make you look anemic! You'll want to show off your girls too, but not have them out. Wear ruched tops with small charm necklaces.

★Dressy; Same as what I said above! But if you're going out, add some hoop earrings to the mix.

★Casual; 'Pretty' ruched tops or light t-shirts and light coloured Volleys. When you wear t-shirts, wear lower necked ones (not too low) like V necks. And please, stick to fitted ones - not tight.

I hope you short girls out there find this helpful! And remember, you're beautiful no matter what shape you are.

xoxo

How to be poor and have fun in Melbourne!

If you're like me. You're poor. I'm a 20 year old Legal Secretary TRAINEE living in Melbourne. My parents are too far away to help me out with dinners and I have a mouth to feed. (A puppy, not a baby..) This and my expensive rent, bills, etc etc. Makes for little left over for the fun stuff.

I've come up with a few things that are both cheap and fun for the 20something living in the big city. - Some imagination required.

★ Start a blog. It only requires good observation of your surroundings and people in your life. You could even write about your memories or your plans for the future! And it doesn't have to be a blog either. It could be a journal, a scrapbook or a video diary!

★ Join a sewing class. Theres a place on Errol street called Thread Den. You can hire machines there and take sewing classes, you can pop in, take a few and then go op shopping for some cool vintage material! Once again, in Melbourne there are some places at Parliament side of Bourke Street and a couple on Brunswick Street. Maybe you could make a few cool pieces, get some friends to model them! You might even be able to sell some on ebay and make a few extra bucks!

★ Moonlight cinema at the botanic gardens. Its cheap and you can take all your own food! So why not gather a few good friends for a girly night in, outside!

★ Window shopping in luxury clothing stores at Crown. Depending on who you are this may differ in how fun you find it. I personally love trying on Burberry bags and jackets and gazing at $2000 bags in Prada. Last time I was in LV I was given a photo of myself and Penny in a Louis Vutton Card for free!

★ Body artwork. Get a group of friends together and paint a picture using different body parts!!! (My house-mate gave me this idea..)

★ Yoga class at SomaChi on Sunday mornings. $10 and all proceeds go to saving abandoned or pregnant animals. Its at a train station on Greville Street in Prahan.

★ Night market in St Kilda! live bands, painting and the markets of course!

★ Gopals on Swanston Street. Vegeterian meals for gold coin donations. Pay what you think the meal is worth! All proceeds go to Melbourne's homeless.

★ Take a walk around the city while listening to some music, exploring and maybe find some cool places of your own! Last time I went on a walk I found a taxidermy and artifacts store on Collins street with stuffed chimps to alligators and bear skin rugs! totally gross but really interesting. They even had some cool Da Vinci type inventions from the 14th century.

★ My retarded boyfriend informs me that you can get $2 peep shows. So if you want a lesson on the female anatomy, why not give it a go.

★ Old Melbourne Gaol. $18 for adults, $14 for concession. Learn a bit about our rich history and see some really cool shit.

So there are a few ideas to get you started! If you have any cool ideas or activities around Melbourne or your own home city or town, let me know!

Stay Tuned!

xoxo

Wardrobe drama number one: I feel kinda fat

This is where we discuss wardrobe dramas, but not the regular 'just-Hollywood-tape-it-and-go' types, I'm talking about the deep down 'cant-bare-to-look-in-the-mirror' ones.

We've all felt fat before, but what if its a regular occurrence? A better half of the population these days is overweight and its getting worse. And what can we do about it? The easy answer is 'a lot!'

I used to be a size 12, and while that isn't that big, it is if you're 5'1. Its like the equivalent to size 16 for 5'6 girls. I used to eat my feelings and feel worse afterwards for having done that in the first place. After a while, it began to make me feel sick physically. And after going to a naturopath I found out that I had really stuffed up my digestive system with sugar and wheat.

So, I was put on a strict (STRICT for all you 'but its only one piece of chocolate' girls out there) diet of no wheat, sugar and glucose. Its called a celiacs diet. I will say this now, this is not a fad diet, its a diet. This is not a 10 day plan or a 3 month exercises. I was put on this as treatment for my sickness. Meaning till I was better and my tolerance built up again. But still I avoid these foods.

This diet was combined with a blood-type diet, again, not a fad. This one is a permanent diet! As a blood type 'O' I was prone to anemia and lack of proteins. So I was on a meat and protein rich diet, which really opened up my options. I could have a beef stir fry or grilled chicken and there are many other types of meats and recipes out there too! I was instructed to stay away from most grains and some nuts. One of which was peanuts. That means no more sitting on the couch with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon. At first it stressed me out. What was I going to eat? I didn't like eating steak or pork. But I couldn't just eat chicken. I started off slowly. Looking for recipes on the Internet and trying new combinations. Soon, instead of eating peanut butter out of the jar, I was snacking on soy cheese with chives on rice crackers and instead of pizza, I was eating lemon chicken with brown rice and soy sauce veggies! Instead of having this dull diet I thought I would have, I was shown a whole new world of flavors and cooking, and in fact, how dull and boring my previous diet was. I loved my new diet. Not only did it make me feel amazing, it gave me more energy and made me look cultured.

Within one week of this diet, my skin cleared up, I got my glow back and I started to feel a lot better. At the two week mark, results! Down to size 10 already! Finally 3 months later and I was back at my naturopath, I could stop my celiacs diet. I had gotten down to a healthy for my height size 6 and felt amazing. I cant that my naturopath enough for helping me!

Before starting any diet I suggest you speak to a naturopath, but as for cutting out wheat, sugar and glucose. You should anyway. My diet also included drinking a special herb tea and I had cupping and acupuncture done too. I got them as extras to speed up my recovery, they are not a way to lose weight. The key to being healthy starts with eating healthy and exercise.

Good luck girls!

xoxo

Boys.

Yes ladies. Its time to talk boys.

In my short life I like to think that I have learnt more than the average 20 year old. Having been in 2 serious (by serious I mean living with) relationships and a handfull of not-so-serious ones I think I have seen enough to be able to speak freely about the topic.

We've all seen blogs about the dating world at 30, about life when you're 'older'. But what about for the 20 somethings? We may be new to this but thats the point. We need to learn and share our knowledge!

In the past 12 months I have come out of a serious relationship, moved interstate, fallen in unrequited-love, and gotten into a relationship with an amazing boy. There are love triangles, fights, break-ups, make-ups, confessions, laughter and tears. Lots of girl talks and shouting "I don't need a man" into the mirror.

I think I aught to start where everyone one should start. At the start! I remember it like it was yesterday!

My Valentines day of 2008: I was living with, well, we'll call him Tyler. Tyler and I had been together almost 2 years and I wasnt happpy. Tyler had a temper, was neglectful and rude. He put me down and made me feel aweful. At the time I had let myself go and wasnt prepaired to leave him to see what else was out there. It was Valentines Day, and I had decided I was going to have a good one for once, my previous history of V-Days has been shocking, having been dumped or single for most of them. So this V-Day *had* to be better. I got dressed up in my cutest outfit, did my make-up, organised Tyler to look half decent and shave, and off we went to my favorite restaurant.
Once there we sat down and turned off our phones. Good start! We ordered our food and waited.
Then, as soon as the food had hit the table, BAM! Insults flying left and right. I ended up so upset I took my phone into the bathroom to talk to my friend about it. After being calmed down and told I wasn't fat I returned to the table and ate the rest of my meal quietly. We paid. No wait. I paid and we left. I wasnt allowed to hold his hand. Not that I wanted to, as he kept grabbing at my little belly and calling me 'fatty'.
Finally getting to the front door he was feeling playful and pretending to throw punches at me. Calling me 'bitch' and wanting to eat lunch (again), I was ignoring him and getting my keys out of my handbag, why would anyone want to listen to someone so immature anyway? Until one of the fake punches became real and hit me right in the throat! Now I will say it was an accident, because it was. He was pretending and accidently took it too far. I knew this then, but I was still in pain and had to lie down. But no, he wanted his lunch and kept calling me 'bitch'.

Later that day I was instructed to pick up one of his friends from the city. I asked him if he could make it up to me for hurting me and for V-Days sake and buy me some flowers while I was out. For which I was told to, and I quote "F#@k off, you dumb bitch."

This, ladies - was the day I decided I should leave our dear Tyler. No woman should be spoken to so badly or treated with so little respect. And I mean NO woman.

From that day on I decided to get into shape, look out for myself only and I actually got noticed by a good friend of mine! He was lovely to me and gave me so much strength and courage to leave Tyler. I moved out, got thin, and made the huge decision to move to Melbourne. I also found a book that has helped me and will continue to help me for years to come. "He's not that into you" by Greg Bernhardt, also known as 'the bible'.

After getting myself together I learnt a valuable lesson. That men should do what men in the past did. Chase women. It was a difficult thing to do. Who wants to leave their fate in the hands of another? Who wants to wait around while a decision is made that involves you? After much back and forth I finally got it. I'm the catch. They call it 'the catch' for a reason and that if a guy is worth paying any attantion to, they will work for that attention. Its not about waiting around for them. Its about living your life and going with the flow. Who knows, maybe you'll meet a prince charming who's willing to do what it takes to be worth your time. Until then, just relax!

xoxo

The kindness of strangers

Today I got a phone call from my mother all the way in Adelaide to tell me that I had lost my wallet, I was shocked by this, as how could a woman 750 kilometers away know something like this before me! Not to mention my wallet with my beloved photos of friends and important documents and credit cards was missing of course. I ran into my bedroom and tore the contents of my handbag out in search for the alleged missing wallet. She was right! It was gone! Then it hit me, how did she know? No sooner that I had asked this, had she replied "a girl named Harriet has just called me to say she's found it!" Shocked, I asked a million useless questions probably better directed at Harriet. I asked my Mother for Harriet's phone number and she gave it to me. I wrote it on some mail that was meant to be return to sender and told my Mum I'd let her know how it went.

I called up to hear a soft voice saying she had rescued my poor defenseless wallet from my street and after not being able to find a legible address she called my Mum. I don't know where in my wallet I keep my Mum's number but now I'm really glad I do! I arranged to meet half way at the North Melbourne train station. I made a dash for the door, on my way picking up Penny and my keys. I forgot my shoes, but that didn't matter. I had my wallet!

I was there in 5 minuets, and I saw a lovely kind faced girl holding my beloved wallet.

I thanked her at least a million times and we went on our ways.

Today I was thinking would be a horrible day. Everyone at work was grumpy and no one wanted to talk.

But even though the day is over, it was still saved, with a little bit of kindness and a lot of 'thank-yous'.

xoxo

My First Blog!

After much 'umm-ing' and 'ahh-ing' I decided I should try and make a blog. I'm not much of a writer but being short and having a big mouth I do have a lot to say.

So without further a due, I introduce myself as Lorena. 5'1, Legal Secretary and self appointed beautician to my dachshund Penny.

I moved to Melbourne from Adelaide about 5 months ago, it could be 6 but I couldn’t remember for the life of me as the last year has gone by so fast I didn’t even have time to take advantage of the sale price on a certain pair of Marc Jacob boots or ask for directions to the bathroom. Needless to say this year has taught me a lot about who I am and what I'm capable of doing. Moving 750 kilometers east of my home town with nothing but a Lonsdale gym bag full of clothes and $1200, I now find myself living walking distance from what I consider my savior (Melbourne city), being proud owner of a 'daxie' named Penelope (or Penny) and having a job I love!

I don't have hobbies, though a pon closer inspection I probably do, but as you will learn throughout this blog, I am a relatively lazy girl. What I do 'do' is wear heels till my feet are sore and puffy, I bitch more than I probably should, and I shop. I looove to shop. Though I'm sure this isn’t a surprise to anyone reading this what so ever. But what I like to shop for is labels. Even on my piddly trainee salary, I'll window shop if I have to. Give me Louis Vutton and Prada over Supre and MissShop any day. This habit of mine has gotten me into many sulky 'I have no money' nights involving Sex and the City marathons and surfing net-a-porter with a box of tissues. Well, maybe not that bad. But this girl does love labels. What I found does help my addiction is a good budget and willingness to eat packet noodles so my puppy has an inscribed LV collar and I have my Soft Calf Prada. Which happen to be two things on my "Must have list" which is currently being ticket off slowly but surely.

And its not just labels. No, its more than that. There's boys too. Oh dear. Boys, men and other variations on the opposite sex. How they intrigue me. Some of them should come with Man-uals!

So this is me. The 5'1 girl.

Stay tuned!

oxox